Scream (1996)

If there's one thing Mike Slash loves....it's the SLASH-er genre of horror. And look no further than the classic SCREAM to jumpstart several careers, reinvigorate the horror genre in the mid 90's, and introduce the world to a whole new set of horror rules. When you think about it, Scream came at just the right time. Freddy and Jason both had their 'go to hell/dead chapters' just a few years prior, the Halloween movies were at the point of diminishing returns, Pinhead was flopping around in space, and horror needed a new icon. Enter Ghostface. While on the surface, Scream is your standard slasher. However, it's no surprise people love it for it's meta-humor, self-awareness of the horror rules in the universe, and characters with distinct and strong personalities. These set it a 'cut' above most other slasher fare. Matthew Lillard and Jamie Kennedy especially get shoutouts for personifying their roles and making them irreplaceable. You can thank Scream for creating a whole new genre of late 90s teen horror combined with a 'whodunit' plot device in movies that followed: I Know What You Did Last Summer, Urban Legend, The Faculty, Disturbing Behavior, and many more. Those films wouldn't be what they were without Scream leading the way. Beautifully directed by the late Wes Craven and written by the still-in-demand Kevin Williamson, Scream deserves its place on top of the horror mantle for decades to come. Required viewing for all serious slasher fans.

SLASH SCALE: 5/5